AS he drove around the streets of Harare listening to the multi-award-winning maskandi singer Thokozani Langa, Bulawayo resident Thabo Khumalo observed that the once bustling metropolis known for its iconic landmarks and vibrant culture has undergone an unexpected transformation.
According to Khumalo, in the backdrop of a crippling economic crisis that has left many Zimbabweans struggling to make ends meet, a peculiar phenomenon has emerged, this time the proliferation of fuel service stations.
After doing his business, he then started counting the number of service stations from Coca-Cola at the intersection of Cripps and Seke roads in Graniteside, turned into Remembrance Drive in Mbare, then into Ardbennie Road, got to Waterfalls Avenue and turned right towards Houghton Park, then turned left into Sixth Avenue, until he got to Masotsha Ndlovu Way, turned left Mainway Meadows to see his friend, a distance of about 11km.
Along the way, he came across Engen service station at corner Cripps Road and Kelvin South Road, Engen at Kelvin Corner, Apex (formerly Trek) at the intersection of Cripps and Dhlela Way, the recently-opened Meru Fuels and Mashwede at Matapi in Mbare.
Already, there are five service stations within a distance of 1,13km.
Along Remembrance Drive, he noticed Energy Park near ZBC Mbare Studios and then turned into Ardbennie Road where he came across Engen near Mai Musodzi Hall, before another Engen after the long-distance bus terminus.
He came across the next service station near OK Ardbennie along Waterfalls Avenue, Puma Service Station, the next one being the newly-opened Oni Petroleum, then Glow Petroleum and another newly-opened Energy Park.
Khumalo then turned left into Sixth Ave and came across DA (formerly Puma) and then the one at Park Town shops, which is currently not operational.
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It will be the same for someone driving to Showground in Domboshava, where they have to pass through Gunhill, Borrowdale Village Walk and Sam Levy’s, Helensvale, Hatcliffe and Mverechena.
Aside from the service stations in the central business district as one drives along the way, they first come across the recently-opened RK service station at the intersection of Borrowdale Road and Churchill Avenue, then another new one at the intersection of Whitwell and Borrowdale roads, with the next under construction at corner Borrowdale and Balmoral roads.
The next one is Zuva service station at Pomona food court. Another Zuva is just off Borrowdale Road along Piers Road.
Then there is TotalEnergies and Zuva that are opposite each other at Helensvale shops, with the next service station being Pit Stop on the side of Hatcliffe, which is opposite RK service station at the recently-opened Hogherty Hill shopping centre.
After that is DA at Hatcliffe Consortium turn-off and then Energy Park, with the next set of service stations being found at Mverechena, where there are three — RB Fuels, PetroTrade and Mawonera, while the last one is at Showground.
“I noticed that these suburbs are now punctuated by a seemingly endless number of fuel pumps,” Khumalo said.
“From the suburbs to the bustling city centre, it is not uncommon to find multiple fuel stations within a short distance.
“These developments are not only happening in Harare. I also witnessed the same in cities and towns such as Gweru, Kwekwe, Kadoma and along the highway.”
For Khumalo, what is particularly striking is the proximity of these fuel stations to one another.
In some cases, the distance between two stations is as little as 100 metres.
He opened Google Maps to estimate the distance between the fuel stations and noted that it ranged from 100 metres to about 400 metres.
There are the traditional ones Puma, Engen, Total and Redan, while new entrants have opted to become more creative, assuming quirky names.
As well, some operators may be using the same franchise, but their pricing is different, which shows that there are many players using franchises to sell fuel.
For example, a DA fuel station along Boshoff Road in Graniteside charges more than the same brand which is located along Sixth Avenue in Waterfalls.
The proliferation of service stations comes with its own challenges.
Last month, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) issued a stern warning to service stations selling contaminated fuel following its intensified quality monitoring and testing campaign at retail sites countrywide.
It also outed those that were selling diluted fuel but priced as unleaded.
In a statement, Zera said it was shutting down businesses of operators that were involved in the supply and retail of fuel that did not meet standards.It then released a list of names of fuel players that were caught on the wrong side of law in the first half of 2024.
The sharp increase in the number of fuel stations is more than just a curious trend.
Many feel that they are being run by people with strong political ties who are sanitising their “dirty” money.
Former Finance minister Tendai Biti said the proliferation of fuel stations and food outlets was a “washing machine”, which did not indicate a sign of economic growth, stating that it was a strategy by individuals with political muscle to clean their money.
“Remember, it’s not just the mushrooming of fuel stations, but also food outlets. These are owned by money-laundering individuals,” he said.
“These service stations are washing machines, a way of cleaning dirty money. There is no reflection of economic growth, but it is just a way of looting.”
In an interview, renowned economist and government critic Gift Mugano said: “The proliferation of garages is a strategy used by money launderers to clean their money. It’s (happening) in towns, not only in Harare, I heard also in Kadoma. If I am not mistaken, there are quite a couple of garages that have been put up in Kadoma.
“Kadoma has changed completely as people are cleaning money through these fuel stations.”
A fuel attendant, who spoke to NewsDay, believes that some retailers have damaged the reputations of franchisors due to dubious business deals which put customers at risk.
“Some traders are operating under a franchise agreement with the brand owner and such people are killing brand names due to dubious ways of operating,” the fuel attendant said.
Despite the economy seemingly tanking, the demand for fuel has remained relatively high.
This has created a lucrative business opportunity for those with the capital to invest in fuel stations.
“I think one has to be connected to the political elite to be able to invest in the fuel business. You can’t just wake up today and start selling fuel in Zimbabwe. You must be strong,” a Harare resident, who declined to be named, said.
Zimbabwe might be grappling with economic challenges, but for now, it seems the number of service stations being established will continue to rise.
Only time will tell whether this peculiar phenomenon will endure or it is simply a fleeting moment in the country’s history.
While the proliferation of fuel stations has brought certain benefits to the community such as increased convenience and competition, it has also raised concerns about the safety of residents.
Waterfall’s residents, who spoke to NewsDay, expressed concern over the hazy allocation of land for service stations near residential areas.
They suggested that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission should investigate the criteria that are being used to parcel out land for service stations.
Efforts to get a comment from the City of Harare on the issue were fruitless despite numerous attempts by this publication.
For Khumalo, placing fuel stations closer to residential areas poses significant environmental and humanitarian risks.
These hazards can arise from accidental spills which can be a threat to the lives of residents.
